ESPN recently published a spring preview of the ACC, including a look at one player to watch for every team in the conference as spring practices get rolling.

For the reigning ACC Champion Clemson Tigers (10-4, 7-1 ACC in 2024), newcomer Will Heldt was pegged as the player to watch.

Of course, Heldt transferred to Clemson this offseason following two productive seasons at Purdue, where he played in all 24 games for the Boilermakers from 2023-24.

As a sophomore this past season, the 6-foot-6, 265-pound defensive end was credited with 56 tackles (10.0 for loss), 5.0 sacks and a fumble recovery he returned 16 yards for a touchdown. He recorded 2.5 sacks and the 16-yard scoop-and-score in back-to-back games against ranked opponents against Illinois and Oregon in October.

Heldt joined the Tigers with two years of eligibility left.

“In what might have been the biggest shocker of the offseason, Clemson took a big name from the transfer portal for the first time, landing former Purdue edge rusher Will Heldt,” ESPN wrote. “That he’s Swinney’s first big signing in the portal means Heldt will undoubtedly be an object of fascination around Death Valley, but the bigger story is that Clemson is desperate for a big impact off the edge — something that was sorely lacking at times in 2024.”

Not only did Swinney’s program pick up a few talented players from the portal this offseason – Heldt, along with former Alabama edge rusher Jeremiah Alexander and former Southeast Missouri State wide receiver Tristan Smith – but the Tigers retained a number of key players from last year’s team as well.

ESPN recently went through every team in its Way-Too-Early Top 25 and named the top player that each team kept out of the transfer portal (subscription required).

Rising sophomore wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. was tabbed as that player for the Tigers.

“Wesco and fellow true freshman wide receiver T.J. Moore weren’t looking to leave Clemson this offseason, but there’s no doubt they would’ve commanded strong offers in the transfer portal,” ESPN’s Max Olson wrote. “Wesco, the No. 28 overall recruit in the 2024 ESPN 300, had some nice moments during his debut season and lit up SMU in an ACC title game victory with eight catches for 143 yards and two TDs. After finishing with 708 receiving yards and five scores on 41 receptions, Wesco gets another season with quarterback Cade Klubnik and should be even better in 2025.”

Wesco’s receiving yards were the most by a freshman in ACC Championship Game history, and tied for the second-most of a player of any classification in ACC title game history.

The ACC title game marked Wesco’s third 100-yard game of the season, and the 6-foot-2, 180-pounder became only the fifth Clemson true freshman with three or more 100-yard receiving games since the NCAA instituted permanent freshman eligibility in 1972.

After winning its eighth ACC title in the last 10 years and making its seventh College Football Playoff appearance, Clemson will open the 2025 season with a marquee matchup against the LSU Tigers at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30.

Clemson checked in at No. 7 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 behind No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 5 Georgia and No. 6 Oregon.